Warm in the Cold
by Shivie
Summary: Amy is determined to put a smile on Kieren's face when he feels down about Simon being gone for the holidays. Will Kieren fade into the cold of winter or stand in comfort of the warmth of his friends?


p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren rest his head against his bedroom window, watching as the rain melts the snow away; creating slushy mud. The sky is grey, and the air thick. Kieren's room is a mess. His bed unmade, clothes strewn about, and untouched food still on its plate. All is quiet and lazy./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"There is a knock on the door. Jem pops her head in, looking rosy and soft. She says in concern, "She's still here, Kieren. I don't think she is going to leave until she sees you."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"From out the window, Kieren can see Amy. She walks impatiently about their front yard before she stops, looks up to the window, and waves. Kieren pulls away letting the curtain drop. Kieren sighs, finally turning around to face his sister. Jem looks to him with pressuring eyes./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;".../p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren, in his oversized sweater, begrudgingly makes his way to the front door. He stops by a mirror, his face is made up, makeup coating his skin like a wash of paint, but his eyes, his real fierce-green eyes, stare back at him./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren opens the door. Amy stands there, nervous, rocking on the back of her heels. She is adorn in a snow jacket and boots, baring her true face./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren eyes her skeptically, looking to her snow gear, "Cold?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She rolls her eyes at her outfit, "Philip insisted. He hasn't really grasped the whole dead thing yet."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren nods, "What do you want Amy? I'm not in the mood to chitchat. Maybe tomorrow-" Kieren goes to shut the door, but Amy slides in her boot, stopping him./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I just want to talk, please. Can we go for a walk?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren looks at her warily. Amy smiles pleadingly her foot not budging. Kieren buckles. He hangs his head, and closes the door behind him. Walking forward, past Amy, and into the rain./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy struggles with her umbrella. Pulling. Pushing. Twisting. Kieren walks down the sidewalk, not waiting for her./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Screw it", Amy leaves the crumpled umbrella and dashes into the rain. Her hand above her head as makeshift shield, she jogs after Kieren./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm sorry I didn't tell you he left, but it's not like I could have stopped him from going."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy catches up to him, but Kieren doesn't acknowledge her. He kicks at the brown snow./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You're right. I should have told you he was leaving town."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren eyebrows narrow, worriedly./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy, now with more concern, "I'm sure Simon will be fine, he'll be back for Christmas, and-"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""If he wanted to be here, he would be here."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren crosses his arms. All is silent except for their boots slushing through the melted snow./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Kieren what is going on? It's not like you to be so bothered by something like this."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's this time of year… it's so ugly. It's cold. Grey."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Are you kidding me? It's beautiful. The snow glistens-"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's raining," Kieren interrupts./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Even the rain is nice, it's comforting."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's cold."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""But it's the Holidays. Spending time with family and friends. Getting into the festive spirit. Everything radiates a warm fuzzy feeling."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy looks to Kieren whose face has dropped. Kieren takes a seat on a curb. Amy joins him./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren looks down and from under his breath he admits, "It's not the same without Rick." Kieren looks up to meet Amy's gaze. "And it's more than just the skiing, and the late night chocolates that I miss. It's that feeling that 'warm fuzzy feeling' you were talking about. It's gone without him, and I had convinced myself that if Simon were here I could have that again."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy rubs Kieren's back comfortingly./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm not angry at you Amy, and I'm not even upset with Simon. I'm upset with myself. Upset that I feel cold, empty."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy grabs Kieren's hand and tugs him forward./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Amy? What are you doing?" Kieren hesitates./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy smiles cheerily. "I am going to turn your frown upside down, Kieren Walker. I will prove to you that the snow is beautiful and that Christmas is amazing. You're going to be so happy, and toasty that you'll sweat peppermint."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren reluctantly smiles./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"br /"I am going to give you that warm fuzzy feeling, even if it kills me... again." They laugh, walking arm and arm into town. As they walk the rain begins to slow, making way for snow./p  
hr /  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy and Kieren walk arm and arm through town, chocolates in hand./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Snow softly falls, landing onto Kieren's messy hair. Kieren's cheeks and nose look rosy, if it were possible that is./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren smells the chocolate and is reminded of happier times, he could swear he feels his heart flutter./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren looks to Amy, smiling earnestly. "Thanks, Amy."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy lays her head on his shoulder, and smiles back. "Do you have that warm fuzzy feeling?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren, "I'm starting to."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"From across the street saunter a group of lads. Drunk on eggnog, and with a superiority complex derivative of being bullied as children, they think themselves bold./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The tallest and broadest leads the boys, "Ey, Rotter?!"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy's mouth twitches, but Kieren pulls her forward, ignoring the mocking./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""We're trying to enjoy ourselves here, very well can't do that with you scum infesting out village, now can we?" His friends nod in agreement./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy turns to face them, giving them a darting, hateful look. The boys laugh at her they are thrilled by her anger. Kieren pulls her forward, his voice lowered, "Come on Amy, I'll take you home."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Slam, a snowball hits the back of Kieren's head sharply. His chocolate goes flying, soaking his sweater. The boys laughing fill the streets, no one stands up for them./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy reaches to the ground and makes her own snowball, she chucks it at them but it falls short, real short. The boys laugh louder, snorting like pigs./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The boys cross the street, headed directly towards Amy. Slap, a snowball comes zooming, knocking the leader in the jaw. His knees buckle, and he falls onto his friends./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren's eyes wide, looks to Amy. "Was that you?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Amy shrugs, shaking her head./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"From down the street, walks Simon, snowball in hand. He throws another. Hitting another lad. The boys disoriented, struggle to find the mass snowball thrower. Giving Simon time to dash over the Kieren and Amy./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Are you guys okay?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yes, fine." Amy brushes off Kieren's sweater, "You're just in the knick of time. Our hero, right Kieren?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren nods, slightly. Not wanting to give away how glad he is to see Simon./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The boys get to their feet, and march towards them. Simon sighs. "We'll distract them Amy, you can get on home."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Are you sure?" Amy looks to the pack of boys worriedly./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Simon gives Amy a hug, "Merry Christmas." Simon pulls at Kieren's hand, and they make a dash for it. The boys, quick at Simon and Kieren's heels, pass Amy paying her no mind. She helplessly stands their watching them turn the corner. Sighing, she picks up Kieren's spilled chocolate and throws it into the rubbish bin./p  
hr /  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren and Simon hide behind a house, their backs lent against the back wall. From the opposite side, the boys run past the house, unbeknownst to them they had just passed the couple./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Simon laughs, happily skipping away from the house. Kieren passively walks towards him./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Behind the house, is a grassy field, now covered in snow./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Simon turns to Kieren, and frowns at him, "What's wrong? We ditched the assholes."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Simon sighs, making his way to Kieren, "Because I knew it would get you upset." Simon places his hands on Kieren's shoulders, squeezing slightly./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren shrugs him off, and walks past him./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Simon knowingly smiles; he squats down, and plays with the snow. Forming a ball he throws it at Kieren, it misses Kieren landing to his side. Kieren spins around, his lips pursed and head tilted. Kieren gives him a serious 'I'm not in the mood' look, but Simon is all smiles. Kieren is helpless to smile back./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"As Simon makes a dash for it, Kieren makes his own snowball, and whips it at him. It hits him square in the back, and he dramatically falls to the ground./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Simon?" Kieren worriedly rushes over to her. Simon lays there still in the ground muffling something under her breath./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren kneels next to him, "What is it? Are you okay?" Simon mumbles. Kieren leans in closer and is greeted with a face full of snow. He lays on his back defeated. Simon and Kieren laugh so hard their stomachs ache./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You should have seen your face?" Simon chuckles./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well I think you permanently blinded me, so I doubt I will ever be able to again."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren stretches out like a big star, moving his arms back and forth against the snow he creates a snow angel. Simon does the same./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Kinda ironic, the angels, since were undead and all… I like to think we could be angels, no?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Maybe," Simon turns on his side to face Kieren. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren still on his back "Thanks for saving Amy and I from those assholes."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"They shuffling of their arms against the snow fill the silence between them./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Are you okay?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah, those jerks don't get to me as much as Amy." Kieren shrugs./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No, I mean. Are you okay?" Simon looks at Kieren earnestly./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"A single snowflake makes it's way to Kieren, melting when landing on his cheek. ./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kieren turns on his side, his face mere inches from Simon's, "I'm starting to."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Simon looks to him confused. Kieren smiles, turning to lie on his back./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"They lay there quietly, both looking up to the sky, watching the snow fall. Kieren reaches over to hold Simon's hand, he squeezes. Together they're warm admits the white, cold snow./p 


End file.
